


The Color of My Heart

by Witty_Name_Here



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Declarations Of Love, Dialogue Heavy, Don't Examine This Too Closely, Don't Have To Know About Supernatural (TV), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Not Canon Compliant, Past Domestic Violence, Protective Benny Lafitte, Self-Esteem Issues, Sorry Not Sorry, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, love isn't enough to stop him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:40:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26603860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witty_Name_Here/pseuds/Witty_Name_Here
Summary: ~*~Of all the diners in Louisiana, she had to walk into mine.~*~Years of torture and abuse at the hands of her husband have left Max a broken mess, believing she is unworthy of anyone’s love. That is until she runs away from her psychotic husband and stumbles into Benny’s Diner to wait out a storm. What happens next is not something either of them saw coming.
Relationships: Benny Lafitte/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. Ohhhh, Maxine...Where are you?

**Author's Note:**

> *This story is somewhat canon-compliant, but I did take my own liberties. It takes place between the time Benny comes back from Purgatory and when he goes back for Sam and Bobby to help Dean.*

The rain pelted the windshield in a steady rhythm as the slap of the wipers across the glass kept its own time. Outside the car, the wind howled, blowing leaves across the lonely stretch of backwoods Louisiana highway as Max fought against the wind to keep the car on the road, as she cast worried glances in the rear-view mirror. Up ahead, barely discernible through the driving rain, a neon roadside diner sign blinked in invitation. 

Max blew out a breath, sending her bangs flying upward out of her eyes as her stomach growled in protest. Flipping the radio off, she guided her car off the road into the parking lot; the gravel crunching under her tires as she parked near the door and shut off the ignition. She leaned back in the seat as she listened for some sign that the downpour would ease soon, but after several minutes it was clear there would be no end in sight. Groaning, she jerked open the door and stepped out of the car, making a mad dash for the covered awning of the diner.

Max was still shaking the water from her hair as she entered the diner, the strand of bells on the door jangling as it moved. She lifted her head, her gaze darting around the nearly empty diner and resting on the broad-shouldered man behind the counter, and her heart skipped a beat as his blue eyes studied her with interest.

“Come on in. What can I do for you, darlin’?” He had a slight Louisiana drawl that was as smooth as perfectly aged whiskey, and her insides decided then would be a perfect time to do epic somersaults like an Olympic gymnast competing for a gold medal. Cursing herself, she swallowed hard and took a seat on one of the counter stools. 

“Coffee,” she breathed, giving him a weak smile, “black.” Truthfully, she didn’t want the coffee; it was just the only thing that she could think of to say that would make him move further away from her. 

“Coming right up,” he said, giving her a slight wink as he moved to the other end of the counter to fill a cup from the pot. Her breath left her, and she buried her face in her hands to try to compose herself. She dropped her hands as he sat the full cup on the counter in front of her, and she gave him a slight smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“So what brings you out here in this weather?” He busied himself wiping down the countertop with a rag and glanced around to see if any of the other customers might need anything. 

Max shook her head, staring into her coffee as though she might read the secrets of the universe in the grounds swirling about the bottom of the cup. “No reason, just needed some fresh air.”

He snorted, shaking his head. “Alright then, if you say so. My name’s Benny, let me know if I can get you anything else.”

“Max,” she whispered, and he turned toward her, one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. “My name is Max.” 

Why had she told him her name? What the hell was she thinking? If Mike found out she was even making small talk with another man, he would beat her within an inch of her life, but there was just something about Benny that was different. Safe, even, like no one could hurt her if he was around. 

She shook her head at the thought. It was ridiculous to think that way and she knew it, but after driving nearly nonstop and existing on coffee and gas station food for the last few days her mind was getting desperate, clinging to some shred of hope she might find a safe place to hide. She had to keep moving before Mike found her, and he’d already come close a few times. She drained the coffee cup, setting it down with a slight thunk as she tossed two crumpled dollar bills on the counter.

Max gave Benny a ghost of a smile as she pushed herself off the stool and headed for the door. She froze, her hand on the door bar as Mike’s black pickup skidded to a stop behind her car, sending muddy gravel flying as it pelted the rear bumper of her car. 

“Shit,” she muttered, backing away from the door as panic gripped her, closing its icy tendrils around her heart. 

Mike jumped out of the truck, a feral grin splitting his face. “Ohhhh, Maxine….” he singsonged, heading toward the door as Max backed away, her breath coming in quick gasps as she searched desperately for an escape. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find you? Are you really that stupid? What am I saying, of course you are.”

“Go away,” Max murmured, pressing her fists to her head, chanting the words repeatedly, her voice rising in pitch until she was screaming. 

Benny came around the edge of the counter and put his hands on her shoulders, murmuring soft words of comfort, trying to calm her as the other customers covered their ears at the screeching noise while staring coldly at Max. Mike glared through the glass door, his blood boiling with rage as Benny turned his ice-cold glare toward him. 

Mike flung the door open, stomping inside and crossing the diner in long strides as he drew back and punched Benny in the face. “How dare you touch my wife? She belongs to me, and she seems to have forgotten that. It doesn’t matter, I’ll remind her once we get home. Let’s go, Maxine.  _ Now. _ ” 

Benny didn’t blink, swiping away a trickle of blood from his lower lip as Mike grabbed Max by the arm, his fingers digging into her flesh. He smiled, shaking his head. “She’s not going anywhere with you,” he growled, grabbing Mike’s hand and twisting his wrist so far backwards he could feel the bones grinding together as they threatened to snap. 

Mike roared in pain, but glared defiantly into Benny’s eyes. “What are you going to do about it? Hmm? It’s not like she’ll let you truly hurt me.”

Benny let go of Mike’s hand long enough to wrap one hand around his throat and lift him off the ground as his fangs extended. Max’s quiet voice came from behind him, and he forced himself to retract them before he turned to face her, his hand still squeezing around Mike’s throat.

“Please don’t kill him,” she said, gazing up at Benny with gray eyes filled with sadness and pain. “I don’t care if you hurt him, but don’t kill him. I don’t want you in trouble because of me.”

Mike’s eyes bulged out of his head, both from Benny’s grip and Max’s words. “Well,” Benny growled in a low Louisiana drawl that made Max’s insides melt, his face now inches from Mike’s, “you heard the lady. Let’s take this outside, shall we? You can beat on someone your own size for a change.”

“You’ll pay for this, Maxine. Just wait until we get home, I swear I will make you suffer in ways you can’t even begin to imagine!” Mike screamed at her as Benny shoved him face first through the front door of the diner. 

Max sat down at the counter, flinching each time she heard the crunching of bones breaking and Mike’s screams of pain and outrage, until the only sound left was the drumming of the rain on the metal roof of the diner. Benny reentered the diner, soaked from the rain and blood splattered down the front of his shirt and apron. He murmured something to one customer who nodded to three others, then all of them got up and left the diner. 

He turned to her as she stared at him, arms crossed as though hugging herself and her eyes wide as she took shaky breaths to slow her pounding heart. “Where is he?” Her voice came out a whisper as she lowered her gaze to the counter in front of her.

“He’s gone, and he won’t be bothering you ever again. I can be very persuasive,” he replied, giving her a lopsided grin and then taking his place behind the counter. She gazed up at him, her eyes glistening with tears as one corner of her mouth lifted. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, looking away as Mike’s truck rumbled to life and drove away into the darkness. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, Max wondered if Mike was dead, and hoped that’s what Benny meant by him being gone. Otherwise, she could never stop running because no matter what, he’d find her and make good on his promise to make her suffer. 

Benny’s smile widened, his blue eyes crinkling slightly at the corners as he studied her. “Glad I could help. Where are you headed anyway?”

Max snorted, looking up at him. “I don’t know. The only destination I had in mind was wherever he wasn’t, and since he never stopped chasing me, I didn’t have time to make a plan.”

“How long have you been running?”

“What day is it?” Max fiddled with the empty coffee cup in front of her as exhaustion creeped into the lines of her face.

“It’s Sunday,” Benny replied, worry knitting his brows as he watched her, wondering if she might just keel over.

Max chuckled, then shook her head. “I made it longer this time. I’ve been running since Thursday night. Usually I only make it about a day, two at the max, before he finds me. He would have killed me for sure this time.”

Any guilt Benny might have had about snapping Mike’s neck and tossing him into the bed of his own truck vanished in that instant, and he reached out, laying his hand over the top of hers. Max flinched, then froze as though bracing herself against the assault she expected to come next. 

“It’s alright, I won’t hurt you.” His voice was warm, like melted butter, and the tension slowly left Max’s body. “There’s a spare room upstairs if you want to get a few hours sleep before you move on.”

Max ran her fingers around the edge of the coffee cup, considering the offer, then yawned with such intensity Benny decided for her. 

“Come on,” he said, gesturing toward her, “you’re in no shape to drive, especially not in this weather. I swear you’ll be safe here.”

Max sighed, then nodded, standing up. “Fine, lead the way.”

He flashed her a smile, then came around the counter and led her down a short hallway with a staircase at the end, flipping on lights as he went. A fine layer of dust covered everything on the second floor, and Max wondered how long it had been since anyone had been up there. 

He opened the door to a small windowless room, gesturing to her to enter as he turned on the light, the single bulb in the center of the ceiling flickering slightly. There was a twin bed and a short bedside table on the opposite wall, and an overstuffed chair had been shoved into one corner and forgotten. 

“It’s not much, but the bed’s comfortable. I’ve slept on it once or twice myself,” he said, leaning against the doorframe as she sat down gingerly on the bed. 

“Thank you,” she mumbled, kicking off her shoes. Her stomach did a flip-flop at seeing him there, leaning against the door frame casually, as though he hadn’t just had to “persuade” her husband to not murder her in a fit of rage. “Will you be alright?”  _ Ah, Max. Always the caretaker, never the one who gets taken care of. _

Benny gave her another lopsided grin, and Max forced herself to breathe. “Sure, I’ll be fine. I don’t sleep much, and I’m on shift downstairs anyway. Get some sleep, Max.” 

She nodded, giving him a weak smile as she laid on her side, resting her head on the pillow and closing her eyes. He gave her a half-smile, then closed the door behind him and went back to the counter. The diner was empty now because of the events earlier, but it was a state Benny much preferred. Yeah, profits weren’t great when the place wasn’t busy, but then again, money wasn’t a huge problem when you’re immortal.

Benny leaned against the counter, concentrating on the book of crossword puzzles laid out before him and losing track of time. When he glanced up at the clock that hung above the door it was just after three, so he closed the book and started his morning cleaning routine before the breakfast rush. 

He’d just finished filling the mop bucket when a panicked scream came from upstairs. Dropping the bucket back into the sink, he raced upstairs and threw open the door to the spare room to see Max in the throes of a nightmare, her body thrashing and jerking as she screamed again. Unsure of what else to do, he crossed the room and slid into the bed, pulling her into his lap and holding her close. He murmured soothing sounds into her hair as she took several panicked breaths, and he could hear her pulse thrumming below her skin as fear coursed through her veins. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to focus on anything besides that sound.

When her breathing slowed to an even pace, he shifted to lay her on the pillow as she grabbed a fistful of his shirt, not opening her eyes. “Stay,” she murmured, a small whine escaping her mouth, “please don’t leave me alone.”

“Alright,” he whispered, pulling her closer to him, “I’m here. You’re safe now.”

  
  



	2. I Will Not Run

Benny counted the seconds as the downstairs clock ticked them off, one by one. He looked down at Max, brushing a lock of her chestnut hair away from her neck and revealing the fading strangulation bruises she kept hidden before now. No wonder she’d run. He shook his head, shifting positions as a test of how deep she slept. 

Max didn’t respond to his movements, so he laid her down on the pillow and covered her with the throw blanket folded at the end of the bed. He got up to leave, stopping at the door for one last look at the sleeping woman, then headed downstairs to finish the tasks he’d started two hours earlier. Elizabeth would be in soon to relieve him, and he’d have to explain Max’s presence to her somehow.

Benny always enjoyed the simplicity of mind-numbing tasks such as mopping the floor. It gave his mind the chance to wander and contemplate things he wouldn’t bother examining otherwise, such as why he couldn’t get his mind off Max. “Of all the diners in Louisiana, she had to walk into mine,” he muttered, smiling to himself at the vague Casablanca reference and moving the mop in wide strokes as he tried to decide whether that was a good or bad thing.

He was still no closer to an answer for that question an hour later when Elizabeth showed up for her morning shift. “Good mornin’, sweetheart,” he drawled, giving her a half smile as he dumped the mop water down the drain. 

“Mornin’ Benny,” she replied, flashing him a smile as she tied on her apron, “anything interesting happen last night?” She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he chuckled, shaking his head.

“Actually—” he started, as Max appeared in the doorway to the hallway, hair tousled from sleep.

“Why Benny, you sly dog,” Elizabeth smirked, her eyes dancing mischievously as Max turned a light shade of pink.

“It wasn’t like that. Max had been driving too long, and the storm would not let up, so I let her crash in the spare room for a few hours.” If vampires could blush, he was sure his face would be crimson as he shrugged at Max in apology, then finished rinsing the mop bucket and dropped it to the ground next to him. 

Elizabeth’s face fell for a moment, then brightened again as she turned to Max. “Hi Max, I’m Elizabeth. Benny is an old friend, and I was just teasing him a little bit. I’m sorry if I offended you.” She moved to stand in front of Max, holding out her hand. 

“It’s okay,” Max mumbled, and shook her hand, refusing to make eye contact. “I should go now.”

“Nonsense,” Elizabeth said, gesturing toward the rain-streaked windows of the diner. “The storm hasn’t let up at all. You’re better off going back upstairs and getting some more sleep. Or better yet—”

“Hey Benny,” Elizabeth called over her shoulder, not taking her eyes off Max, “Max seems hungry. Why don’t you make her some breakfast?”

Max shook her head. “I-I don’t have any money. I used my last two dollars on the coffee I bought when I got here last night. Then Mike showed up—”

Oh God, Mike. He’d come back for her soon, because he never gave up. Ever. Benny said he was gone, but Max had no proof of that and panicked fear filled her veins, turning her blood to ice. 

“Who’s Mike?” Elizabeth asked, brows furrowed in confusion as Max brushed past her, headed for the door. 

“Max, wait.” Benny’s stomach knotted as Max froze, her shoulders tense as she hugged herself, trying to stay calm. She turned toward him, a frown knitting her brows and eyes brimming with fear. 

“I have to go, Benny. He’ll come back for me and when he does, I won’t be the only one he hurts. Thank you for everything you tried to do, but no one can save me now. He won’t stop until I’m dead.”

“Or he is.” The words hung in the air between them like a foggy mist, matching the somber weather outside. Max shook her head in disbelief. It couldn’t be that easy. No way. She’d lost count of how many times she’d tried to leave Mike, each time failing worse than the last. Now, just like that, a stranger in a backwoods Louisiana diner had been her savior and showed her more kindness in the few hours she’d been there than anyone had for most of her life. 

“I told you, Max. He’s gone, and he’ll never hurt you again.” Benny gave her a pointed look as he came around the end of the counter to stand in front of her. Elizabeth busied herself with filling salt and sugar shakers on the empty tables and tried not to look like she was listening to their conversation. 

Max looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears as she forced herself to look into his. Those eyes that were the color of a summer sky, as though God himself had hidden a piece of it away there for safekeeping. 

“But why? Why would you help me?” She bit her lip, tearing her eyes away from his face. 

“You needed help,” he shrugged, giving her another of his lopsided grins. “What can I say? It’s not every day I get to be someone’s hero. And he deserved it, blaming you for the consequences of his own actions.” He shook his head, not wanting to repeat the vile things Mike said about his wife before Benny ended his miserable life.

A tear slipped down Max’s cheek as she forced herself to look at Benny, and the kindness she saw staring back at her was too much to bear. A soft sob escaped her lips as she broke down. All the panic and fear poured out of her like water through a broken dam. 

“It is my fault. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t stopped, if I hadn’t come in here, none of it would’ve happened. I’m so sorry, Benny. I never meant—“ Her lower lip trembled and she bit it, trying to hold on to a modicum of control over her emotions. 

Benny raised a hand to stop her, and she flinched, taking an involuntary step backward. “See? That right there, what you just did? That is why I did it, and I’d do it again, no question. No one should ever have to live in fear. So don’t you dare blame yourself for any of what happened last night. Do you understand me?” He rested his one hand on her shoulder, then used the index finger of the other to tilt her chin up to look at him.

Max hesitated, swallowing hard and avoiding his gaze, and unsure of what to say as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. “I guess. No promises though.”

“Attagirl,” he said, grinning as he pulled her into a tight hug. Max stiffened in surprise, but then relaxed, feeling the warmth of the embrace wash over her, and trying not to think about how she couldn’t remember the last time someone touched her without causing pain.

“Now, how about that breakfast?”

~~~~~

**_One Month Later_ **

Max parked her car in front of the diner, watching Benny move around behind the counter through the plate-glass windows. She’d been busy over the last month, taking slow, methodical steps to rebuild her life after Mike’s death. For the first couple of weeks, she worried the cops would show up at any time to question her about her missing husband, but no one ever came. 

Max knew she shouldn’t be surprised, she’d never seen Mike be nice to anyone, especially not her. Looking back across the years of their decade long marriage, Max failed to understand how they even managed to get married in the first place. Mike was abusive from the very beginning, but Max was sixteen years old when she met him, and he was an escape to a better home life than what she had. Or so she thought, anyway. In the end, it was just another road that sent her straight down her own personal highway to hell.

Benny looked up from the crossword puzzle he was working on, staring at her through the windows. She wondered if he sensed her presence in the car as her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of him. “Get a grip,” she muttered, shivering. Her massive crush on him would lead to trouble, she knew, and she forced herself to give him a slight wave before getting out of the car.

Benny gave her one of his lopsided grins as she entered the diner, his blue eyes twinkling with something Max didn’t recognize. “Hello, darlin’.” 

_My God, that voice and those eyes are a lethal combination._ Max smiled back; her pulse raced and her insides turned to mush the same as every other time she got near him, and over the last month, she’d become hopelessly infatuated with him. That’s what she told herself, anyway. Max knew better than to think she was in love with him, or he with her. “Hello, Benny.” 

The diner was empty as she tied on her apron, flashing him another smile as she moved behind the counter. “Coffee?” she asked, picking up the pot and reaching for the mugs stacked on the shelf above the coffee maker.

“Sure,” he replied, closing his crossword puzzle book. Max set the mugs on the counter and filled them both, then returned the pot to the warmer. Benny watched her, an odd expression in his eyes, and she blushed slightly when she turned back to the counter and caught him staring at her. 

She handed him the cup, his fingers brushing hers as he took it, lingering for just a moment too long. Max groaned internally and tried her hardest to keep her expression unreadable as her heart tap danced a merry jig in her throat. She turned away, not wanting him to see her ridiculous schoolgirl reaction to his touch.

“So,” she started, clearing her throat and then taking a sip of her coffee, “are you going out hunting this weekend? Do you need me to cover the night shifts?”

Benny looked startled as he sat his cup down and stared at her. “Who told you I was going hunting?”

Max shook her head, confused. “Elizabeth. She said bow season starts this weekend and you love going. I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have.” Her heart was racing again, only this time it wasn’t because of infatuation.

“I’m sorry, Max, I didn’t mean to snap at you,” he said, guilt washing over him as he listened to her racing heartbeat, no doubt because she was trying to anticipate what might happen next. “I’m just tired. Do you mind covering down here while I catch a nap upstairs?”

“S-Sure,” she said, exhaling a silent breath as he gave her a sad smile and brushed past her, heading for the stairs at the end of the hallway.

She watched him go, disappearing into the dim shadows of the hallway as she shook her head and took a seat on one stool, facing away from the counter and flipping on the TV mounted above the windows in the diner's corner. She told herself it was for background noise, but in reality it was to keep her mind occupied with something other than her constant thoughts of Benny.

The incessant buzzing of a phone brought her back to reality as she searched, finding Benny’s phone under the counter. She picked it up, staring at the name on the caller ID and wondering if she should answer. Who the hell was Dean Winchester? Benny never mentioned him, but then again, it was none of her business, and before she answered, the call went to voicemail. A few seconds later, it buzzed again, the same name showing on the caller ID.

Max glanced at the clock on the wall, ten after midnight. Benny went upstairs two hours ago, and she decided it would be alright to wake him now. Dropping the buzzing phone into her apron pocket, she flipped off the TV and made her way upstairs to the spare room. The door was unlocked, and she pushed it open, the yellow light from the single bulb in the narrow hallway spilling into the room.

The bed was empty and showed no signs anyone had slept there at all. Where the hell had Benny gone? And why did he lie to her? Max quickly closed the door, retracing her steps downstairs and calling out for him. There was no answer, and she thought he might have fallen asleep at his desk, so she wove her way through the kitchen to the tiny back room broom closet he called an office. 

Someone had propped the back door open, and anxiety coiled in her stomach like a tightened spring as she stepped outside into the cool night air. “Benny?” she called, her eyes darting around the swirling shadows, until she saw the flicker of light in the window of the storage building where Benny kept the old and used kitchen equipment. Just in case, he always said. Why in the hell would he be out there in the middle of the night?

Max took a deep breath, and leaving the door propped open, picked her way along the dew-slick stepping stones to the shed. The door creaked softly as she pushed it open, and she stifled a cry when she saw him. “Benny?” 

He sat on a low stool, staring at his blood-soaked hands as though he didn’t recognize them. The corpse of a man with his throat torn out lay sprawled across the floor in front of him. Benny turned his gaze toward her, eyes glassy and far away, as though he was trying to dissociate himself from the carnage lying before him. There was blood smeared across his face and down the front of his shirt, and sheer terror gripped Max as she forced herself not to scream at the sight of him.

“Benny?” she breathed, “what happened?”

He blinked, focusing his gaze on her. His sweet, sad Max, the one who had no idea how hard he’d fallen for her, or how far he would go to keep her safe from his previous life that seemed hell-bent on destroying him.

“Max, you need to go. Get out of here, now. You’re not safe with me.” He avoided looking at her, ashamed for her to see him battling to control his bloodlust.

“What are you talking about?” She shook her head, frowning in confusion as she stepped all the way inside the shed, closing the door behind her. 

“Dammit Max, I said go!” he growled, refusing to look at her.

She flinched, taking a small step back, but didn’t run, regardless of her head screaming at her to do exactly that. Benny was in trouble, and he’d helped her when she needed it most; the least she could was try to return the favor.

“Look at me, Benny. I’m here, let me help,” she breathed, willing herself not to run.

“You can’t help. You’re going to end up hurt or dead if you stay here, now please, I’m begging you, go.” 

Max took a deep breath, then a tiny step forward, squaring her shoulders. “NO. I will not run away from you, Benny.”

Benny growled, standing up so fast the movement sent the stool clattering backwards across the floor, his chest heaving as he clenched his fists at his sides. “Are you sure about that?” 

He opened his mouth and hissed at her, his razor sharp fangs glinting in the flickering lantern light as Max’s eyes went wide in horror and she clasped her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream. A second later, she composed herself, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. 

“I don’t care what you are, Benny. You won’t hurt me, and I will _not_ run. Ever.” Max said the words with more conviction than she felt, but she held his gaze, regardless. Benny retracted his fangs, staring at her in disbelief. Max took another small step forward, and he held out his hands to stop her.

“Please, Max. I don’t want to hurt you, so please stay back.” He glanced at the corpse sprawled on the floor near his feet, and another whiff of the blood hit his nostrils and the bloodlust threatened to take over once more.

“Benny,” Max said, her voice calm amongst the chaos raging in his mind, “Benny, look at me.” She took another small step forward, her movements slow and deliberate. He tensed, but said nothing as he turned his gaze on her, his eyes full of sadness. “It’s going to be alright, I swear, but I have to know. Did you kill that man?”

Max wasn’t sure why the question even mattered to her. Benny was already a killer, but what he’d done then freed her from her husband, and she wasn’t about to forget it. Still, learning that the man she was infatuated with wasn’t a man at all, at least not anymore, but the very fuel of fantasy nightmare hellscapes, _which weren’t even supposed to exist_ , Max wanted to know exactly what kind of monster she was dealing with on the ‘Not too Bad-to-Completely Fucked’ scale. 

Relief washed over her as Benny shook his head. She took another small step forward, close enough to touch him now, and she reached up and put her hand on his cheek, the coarse hair of his beard tickling her hand. He closed his eyes, covering her hand with his own as he turned his head and kissed her palm, then moved her hand away.

“I didn’t kill him,” he whispered, balling his fists again, “but I know who did.” He stepped away from her, pulling a tarp off a nearby shelf and set about wrapping up the body to dispose of it. Max moved to help him, but he stopped her. 

“I’ll take care of this, darlin’. Go on back inside and lock the doors, alright?” He reached out to touch her cheek, but realized there was still blood on his hands and changed his mind. Max swallowed hard, convinced her heart had now completely abandoned its correct location in favor of taking up residency in her throat.

She nodded, turning to leave the shed. “By the way,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at him, “the whole reason I came looking for you is because your phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Somebody named Dean Winchester called like six times.” She shrugged, holding out his phone to him. He shook his head, gesturing for her to hold on to the phone. 

“Keep it. If anything happens, anything at all, I need you to call him. He can help.” He turned away from her then, resuming his task of body disposal.

Max’s uneasiness reached monumental proportions as she wondered what Benny thought might happen, but decided not to ask, just nodded at his back and then bolted out of the shed. She didn’t stop running until she’d reached the back door of the diner, yanking it open and kicking the rock they used to prop it open out of the way as she slammed it behind her.

Her breath came in heaving gulps as she leaned her head back against the door. The jangle of the bells on the front door brought her out of her thoughts, and she smoothed her hair and tried to gather what was left of her wits as she emerged from the kitchen to greet whoever had entered.


	3. Hello Brother

Max peered around the corner warily, only to find Elizabeth tying on her apron. 

“Hey!” Elizabeth said brightly, flashing her a wide smile. “Everything alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Yeah, er, yeah,” Max replied, taking a deep breath, “everything is fine.”

Elizabeth tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she studied Max. “You’re lying. What’s going on, Max?”

“Nothing! Everything is fine.”

“Mmhm,” Elizabeth said, pursing her lips, “Where’s Benny?”

“Out back, taking out the trash,” Max said, swallowing hard as she rubbed her sweaty hands on her apron. She supposed it wasn’t a complete lie, but hated herself for lying to Elizabeth anyway.

“Oh. Alright then,” Elizabeth said, dismissing the conversation as the bells jingled. A man wearing a plaid shirt and baseball cap pulled low over his eyes entered, and Elizabeth went over to greet him as he took a seat in the corner booth.

Benny emerged from the kitchen, no longer covered in blood, his hair dripping as though he’d showered, and Max breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of him. He gave her a slight smile, and Elizabeth turned away from the table just in time to see them share a look that seemed to say, _I know your secrets, and I will keep them always._

Elizabeth smirked, walking toward the counter where Max and Benny stood and holding out the order slip to Benny. “You know, the last person that I shared a look like that with got laid.” Max blushed crimson to the tips of her ears as she turned away from them, embarrassed tears welling up in her eyes. Max hadn’t thought her feelings were that obvious, and she would rather die than have anyone know how she felt about Benny because she knew there was no way on earth he felt the same way for her. How could anyone love her? She was broken and tossed aside--like a toy forgotten in favor of something better. 

Benny glared at Elizabeth, and she shrugged, eyes dancing mischievously. “What? I’m just sayin’.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t have to say every fool thought that pops into your head, woman.” Benny snorted, shaking his head and giving her a lopsided grin. She laughed and shrugged again. 

“I just thought I’d point it out since it doesn’t seem to be obvious to you two.” Elizabeth shrugged again, picking up the coffee pot and strolling to the corner booth to fill the customer’s coffee cup. 

Max bit her lip to stop it from trembling and stared at the ceiling as she blinked, trying to keep the tears under control. Logically, she knew Elizabeth was not malicious with her teasing, but Max couldn’t help but feel defensive, as though Elizabeth attacked her. It was difficult to control her anxiety on the good days when nothing interesting happened, but after the night she just had, and the things she just saw? Control was nothing more than a silly illusion, much like her childhood dreams. 

Benny laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, and not looking at him, she moved deftly out of his reach, her trembling hands yanking at the strings of her apron. She jerked it off her waist, dropping it on the counter. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I have to go.”

Benny watched her disappear down the hallway, wanting with every fiber of his existence to follow her. If only Elizabeth had kept her big mouth shut. He scowled at her as she returned the coffee pot to its proper resting place and sauntered over to him, curiosity marking her features. 

“Where’d Max go?”

“Oh, you know, she ran away because she’s had one hell of a night, and someone can’t keep her mouth shut. Really, Elizabeth.” He frowned at her, but his eyes glinted with something between affection and amusement.

“I’m sorry,” Elizabeth whispered as he pursed his lips. “What!? I am! I was just trying to lighten the mood, and I thought you two were—you know? I know you want to, I’m not blind, and I know she does too. For whatever reason, she refuses to acknowledge how she feels about you. I only wish I could figure out why.”

“Darlin’,” he chuckled softly, shaking his head, “when you spend your whole life believing no one truly gives a damn, you tend to start thinking you’re unlovable. Regardless, I don’t think your ship is sailing anywhere now.”

“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow at him, amused he’d used a pop-culture term correctly for the first time in oh, ever. “Why’s that? Did she catch you in the shed with your ‘special juice’ and freak out?”

“Worse,” he muttered, taking her gently by the elbow and pulling her into the kitchen and out of the customer’s earshot. “She caught me in the shed, with an actual body.” Elizabeth gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as he held up one of his own. “And before you ask, no, I didn’t kill him. I just know who did. But she walked in while I was struggling to keep myself from turning into a complete monster, and pretty much saw me at my worst.”

“And what happened then? She’s still here, so I’m assuming she didn’t run away screaming. That’s a good thing, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know,” he said, glancing over his shoulder as though Max might materialize there, then turned his attention back to Elizabeth. “What I do know is great-granddaughter or not, you’ve gotta stop teasing her like that. I don’t care, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest, and if I were a braver man, I’d walk right up those stairs, march into that room, and tell her exactly how I feel about her.”

Silence fell between them as he paused, taking a breath. “Sadly, I think it would hurt more than help right now, and I’m not a gambling man.”

“You’re hopeless, Benny Lafitte. You know that?” She shook her head, then rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, patting his scruffy cheek with one hand. She let out a small sigh as she shrugged, dropping her hands to her sides. “I’ve tried. It’s up to you two now.”

“I know, darlin’,” he replied, giving her a lopsided grin and turned away, headed for the stove.

~~~~~

The single bulb flickered above Max’s head as she lay sprawled on her back across the bed, willing her mind to shut the hell up for three seconds and let her fall asleep. The light steadied for a few moments, then gave one last dying shudder before leaving the room shrouded in darkness. 

“Shit,” she muttered, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and padding over to the door. She pulled it open, running face-first into Elizabeth.

“Hey,” Max said lamely, “the bulb burnt out, so I was going downstairs to find one. What are you doing up here?”

“Looking for you,” she said, brushing past Max into the darkened room. Max pursed her lips, then followed her, leaving the door open, letting the light from the hallway spill into a square shape on the wooden floor. Elizabeth flopped down on the overstuffed chair, and Max sighed softly, then sat on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs, tucking her feet under her thighs.

“You found me,” Max said, hugging herself as she tried to curl into a ball, “what do you need?”

Elizabeth crossed her legs at the knees, resting her hands on the sides of the chair as she regarded Max with a curious look. “I don’t need anything. I just wanted to apologize for upsetting you. Benny told me I shouldn’t tease like that, because it makes people uncomfortable.”

“You mean it makes me uncomfortable,” Max muttered, staring at the floor. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get over it.”

Elizabeth chuckled, then shook her head. “Oh, I’m not the one worried about it. Don’t get me wrong, I _am_ sorry for upsetting you, but I only said what the three of us already know. Too bad I’m the only one brave enough to speak up.”

“Please, just leave it alone,” Max pleaded, “you don’t know anything about me.”

“I don’t have to know anything about you, Maxine Thibodeaux, to be able to see you are crazy about Benny, and the same is true for him. The question is, how do you not see it?”

“Benny doesn’t care about me, not really. He pities me. Scared, broken Max, who nobody ever gave a damn about, wandered into his diner in the middle of a raging thunderstorm, and he felt _sorry_ for me. I saw it in his eyes when he looked at me after doing what he did to Mike.”

“Oh, honey,” Elizabeth said in her soft Louisiana drawl, “I think you’re wrong.” 

“It doesn’t matter what you think if it’s not true,” Max snapped, still avoiding Elizabeth’s gaze. 

Elizabeth heaved a sigh, then crossed her arms and glared at Max. “Max, look at me.” Max did as Elizabeth demanded, frowning at her in the dim light. “Why do you think it isn’t true? And if you’re so certain you’re right, why haven’t you moved on?”

Max opened her mouth to retort, then the weight of Elizabeth’s questions hit her full force, like a two-by-four to the face. “I don’t know,” she whispered, shaking her head and staring at her hands folded neatly in her lap. “No one’s ever cared for me, other than pity. Why would Benny be any different? And as for the other thing--well, I know how I feel, and I’d rather keep the truth about that to myself and not risk the humiliation of saying something and him rejecting me.”

Elizabeth snorted, biting her lip to suppress her incredulous laughter. “Benny would do no such thing, Max. I’ve known him a while now and—”

“I know, I know,” Max interrupted, rolling her eyes, “you’re such great friends, and you go way back. You’ve told me this already.”

“It’s more than friendship, Max. Benny is family.” Elizabeth paused, taking a deep breath. “He’s my great-grandfather, and I know what he is.” She paused again as Max’s gaze darted toward her, and she caught it with her own, before giving a small shrug and looking away. “He told me what happened in the shed, and I’ve gotta say, I’m impressed. Not only did you not run away as fast as you could, screaming _literal_ bloody murder, but you also didn’t say a word to me when I asked what was going on. You kept his secret, Max, which tells me all I need to know about you.”

Max stared at her, unable to comprehend her words as she studied Elizabeth’s face. Although the light was dim and her face bathed in shadows, Max could see the family resemblance; the sky blue eyes that held a hint of mischief and untold secrets, the curve of her mouth when she smirked, as she did now. Max shook her head to clear it, opening her mouth to say something, anything, but no words would come.

“Talk to him,” Elizabeth said, getting up from the chair and crossing the small room to the doorway, resting her hand on the frame. “tell him how you feel. It’ll be worth it, I promise.” Max nodded, still speechless, as Elizabeth dropped her hand to her side and retreated down the hallway.

Max huffed, crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall. She’d rather walk across a burning desert of broken glass barefoot before ever telling anyone how she felt, especially Benny. No, she’d learned a long time ago it was best to keep her feelings, especially about things she liked, to herself. If no one knew, no one could use her emotions to control her, as everyone in her life had done multiple times. Ha! No way was that ever happening again. 

Max sighed, willing her thoughts to drift anywhere else other than Benny as she stared blankly at the illuminated patch of floor. She had no idea how long she sat there as though in a trance, but she didn’t notice right away when the light disappeared, replaced by the outline of someone’s shadow. Benny’s shadow.

“Hello, darlin’,” he drawled, crossing the room and settling himself in the overstuffed chair across from her. Max sucked in a breath at the sound of his voice, the warmth in those two little words making her pulse thrum, and her insides turn to mush. If he even knew half of the ways he affected her…

Reality hit her a half-second later when she realized he already did. Every time her pulse quickened after he spoke to her, or she shivered whenever they accidentally touched, he knew. And yet, he’d said nothing, hadn’t tried to be anything other than a friend. Her cheeks felt like someone lit them on fire as she closed her eyes, willing him to go and leave her to wallow in her shame.

“Max?” Benny leaned forward in the chair and rested his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together. Max didn’t respond, too busy mentally chanting at him to go away. “Max, look at me.”

“No.” 

His mouth curved into a half-smile at her answer. “Why not?”

Max huffed again but still refused to open her eyes. “Because.” She cringed at the word, sounding like a petulant child. She cleared her throat and said, “because I’m an idiot, alright? Did Elizabeth send you up here to talk to me? I’m fine. At least I will be.”

The words came out with more vehemence than she expected, but she hoped it was enough he wouldn’t press her to have this conversation with him. Not now. Not ever. Benny raked his hands through his hair, then rubbed them down his face and rested his chin on his knuckles.

“Yes and no,” he replied, scrutinizing her face while she still refused to look at him. “She can be very persuasive.”

Max scoffed, and Benny took that as a good sign. “It’s funny,” she said hoarsely, squinting open one eye to peek at him. “I seem to remember you saying that after telling me Mike was gone.”

“Huh,” he said, giving her that lopsided grin that made her stomach do such intense flips she was almost certain Benny could hear that movement too. “So, I did. Must be a family trait.”

“Must be.” Max closed her eyes again as her pulse returned to normal. She could keep it under control until she looked at him, it seemed, so she tried not to look at him. Oh, how she’d tried, but she’d found it to be as impossible of a task as counting the drops of water in the ocean. 

Benny sighed, leaning back in the chair. “Max, Elizabeth is right; we do need to talk.”

Max held up her hands like a barrier between them. “No, we don’t. There’s nothing to talk about because I already know what you’re going to say, and I’m okay with it, I promise. Just give me time to find somewhere else to go, and you’ll never see me again.”

Benny stared at her for a moment, then closed his eyes in exasperation, pressing his fist against his mouth. Sighing, he dropped his hand and gazed at her. “Damn it, Max. There is something to talk about. Quite a bit actually, if you’ll just stop making assumptions. You don’t have any idea what I’m about to say, but I can promise it’s nothing even close to what you think.”

“I know you feel sorry for me,” Max snapped, glaring at him. “That’s why you’re so nice to me.”

“That’s bullshit, Max,” he said, careful to not raise his voice and make her flinch away, “and you know it.”

“Do I?” She growled, sitting up straight on the edge of the bed. “Let’s talk about _that_ , shall we? Let’s talk about how I know you can literally hear my pulse, so you know exactly how often it speeds up or slows down when I’m near you. Or, let’s talk about the pity I see in your eyes whenever I’m brave enough to look into them, because Jesus H. tap-dancing Christ, it’s like staring into the sun when I do. It sure as shit can’t be anything else.” 

She paused for a moment, head tilted slightly sideways as she stared up at the ceiling, then looked back at him as another idea struck her. “Oh, I know, let’s talk about how I feel is _physically_ obvious to you, and you pretend like you don’t notice. How about that?” 

Max’s chest heaved as she took in gulps of the air, feeling as though she’d never breathe normally again, and angry she’d opened her big fat stupid mouth and said far more than she’d ever intended to. Her heart was racing again, blood pounding in her ears, skipping for a fraction of a second when he shot her that lopsided grin. In the space between breaths, a spark of hope ignited--doused immediately by the crushing weight of her anxiety. 

“Max, I—” he started, cut short by Elizabeth’s voice coming from downstairs.

“Benny! Get down here, there’s someone here that wants to say hello. I told him you were busy, but—he’s insisting.”

“Go,” Max said, waving him away. “We’ll talk later. I’m tired, anyway.”

Benny nodded, then put his hands on his knees and stood up, ignoring the urge to walk the three steps to the bed and plant a kiss on her forehead. Maybe someday, but that time wasn’t right now.

“Benny!”

“I’m coming!” He shouted as he turned and strode out of the room. Max let out a long breath, curling up on her side and clinging to the pillow as though it contained her very life force. 

~~~~~

“Can I help you?” Benny said to the man perched on one of the counter stools, eyeing the man with suspicion as the stench of fear rolled off him.

“Hello,” the man said, feigning courtesy, “I’m looking for someone, and I hope you might have seen them. A man, about five feet ten inches, dark hair and brown eyes? He went out fishing not too far from here a couple of days ago and hasn’t been heard from since.” 

The man smiled at Benny, his beady eyes scrutinizing his face and waiting for Benny to have any reaction to the description of the man who was lying dead on his shed floor just a few hours ago. Benny smiled, laying on the Louisiana charm as thick as molasses when he answered. 

“No, sir. I can’t say I’ve seen anyone matching that description in the last couple of days. It’s pretty quiet around here.” Benny’s face remained a blank canvas as his mind raced. He was going to have to do something about his former nestmate, and soon; before the idiot dropped enough bodies to arouse suspicion against him.

“Ah, well. I thank you for your time,” Benny said, draining the cup of coffee Elizabeth had set before him. “What do I owe you for the coffee?”

“On the house,” Benny said with a plastic smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He was suddenly thrilled Max was upstairs and not witnessing the conversation. The man stood up, gave a curt nod to Elizabeth, then left.

“Who was that guy?” Elizabeth asked as the door closed behind him.

“Hunter, no doubt sent to keep an eye on me. I need to make a phone call.” Benny avoided Elizabeth’s questioning gaze, fishing his cell phone out of Max’s discarded apron and then retreating to his broom closet-sized office and held the phone with a trembling hand. He took a deep breath to steady his anger before dialing. 

“Hello,” a gruff voice said.

“You have my attention, Desmond,” Benny growled. “Now, what do you want?”

“Hello, brother. No how are you, how’s life treating you these days?”

“Oh, just peachy. You know it’s all sunshine and roses, with a sprinkle of murdered locals thrown in for good measure.” Benny pressed his lips together, pushing the memory of the man in the shed away. He forced all the rage and helplessness swirling around inside him down into the blackened pit of his stomach as Desmond’s voice growled through the phone.

“Good. I see you got my message. I’m rebuilding our old nest, and I’m giving you the chance to join us. If you don’t, I’m going to kill an innocent person each day until you do. You are all about humanity, right? You wouldn’t want more innocent people to die, would you?”

Benny closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, it’s not gonna happen.”

“Suit yourself.” 

The line went dead, and Benny pressed the end of the phone against his forehead, resisting the urge to throw it against the wall. Elizabeth appeared in the doorway, looking worried.

“Benny? What’s wrong?” Elizabeth’s brows knitted into a frown as Benny leaned back in his chair and tossed the phone onto the desk. He sighed, then shook his head. 

“Things are about to get ugly. I need you to take Max and go anywhere else but here.”

“She won’t go with me. Not if you’re not coming, you know that. Especially not now.” Elizabeth put her hands on her hips, tilting her head to one side as she waited for an answer.

Benny blew out a breath, then scowled at her. “Never mind, it’s probably better if you two don’t stay together. Just get in your cars and drive the opposite direction of where I’m going. Desmond can’t chase us all. You go ahead and go, I’ll go tell her myself.”

Elizabeth nodded, untying her apron, then dropped it on the desk and headed for the back door. Benny stood, rolling his shoulders, then sighed and made his way up the stairs.

**Author's Note:**

> ✨❤️Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, feel free to drop a comment or kudos below! ❤️✨


End file.
